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Spengler keeps pace at Barcelona

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Bruno Spengler also dominated proceedings in free practice of the DTM at the Circuit de Catalunya. With a lap time of 1.06.981 minutes, the Mercedes-Benz driver was the only one in the field to crack the barrier of 1.07 minutes. The Canadian’s copybook at Barcelona still has to be blotted: he set the fastest time in all three sessions held so far.

Tom Kristensen set the second fastest time with his Audi A4 DTM,0.208 seconds down. Mike Rockenfeller ended up third in the Saturday morning session. “Rocky”, who had been topping the time sheets for quite a while until Spengler took over, was 0.215 seconds down. Points leader Mattias Ekström with the 2007-spec Audi A4 DTM was fifth, one place behind fellow Audi driver Alexandre Prémat. Eventually, the Swede was 0.259 seconds down on the fastest time of his main rival in the battle for the title, Bruno Spengler. The runner-up in the points standings, Martin Tomczyk, ended up in sixth place.

Quite soon, lap times improved at the 2.977 kilometres short version of the Grand Prix track in dry conditions and with temperatures around 20 degrees. At the end of the session, all drivers up to Mika Häkkinen in 14th place (1.07.690 minutes) remained below the fastest time of Friday, set by Spengler.

Qualifying of the DTM in Barcelona will start at 13.05 h, the ARD will be broadcasting live from 13.00 h. The battle for the grid positions for the race on Sunday is a first indication about the outcome of the race and the situation in the battle for the DTM championship title.